Quack-grass digger.



M. SUHMITT.

QUAGK GRASS DIGGER.

APPLICATION FILED NQV. 25, 1910.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

Jd/T/VFJJELS W 94.

THE NORRIS PETERscQ. PHOTo-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, D. c.

M. SGHMITT.

QUAGK GRASS BIGGER.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 25, 1910.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

s c0 v PHOTO'LITHCL. WASHING roN. D. c,

MATHIS SCHMITT, OF AUSTIN, MINNESOTA.

QUACK-GRASS BIGGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 12, 1915.

Application filed November 25, 1910. Serial No. 594,128.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, MATHIS SorrMrr'r, of Austin, Mower county,Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inQuack-Grass Diggers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine of simple, durableconstruction which will effectually tear or pull up the quack grass withwhich many of the farms in certain sections of the Test are infested.

A further object is to provide a machine composed of comparatively fewparts and one which will be economical to manufacture and maintain.

My invention consists generally in various constructions andcombinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin the claims. 7

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a plan view of a quack grass machine embodying my invention, Fig. 2is a longitudinal sectional View of the same.

In the drawing, 2 represents the axle of the machine having carryingwheels 3.

4: is a cross bar connected at each end with the axle by side rails 5.

6 is a forwardly extending pole section mounted on a truck 7 andconnected with the cross bar 4L by straps 8 and 9.

A rod 10 is mounted on the underside of the rails 5 and extendstransversely of the machine, and castings 11 are journaled on said rodand secured to the forward ends of the straps 12 and 13 arranged inparallel relation with one another and extending backwardly under theaxle 2 and having separating sleeves 14 mounted on bolts 15. The rearends of the straps 12 and 13 are bent inwardly toward one another andsecured to the forward ends of aseries of bars 16 and 17. The bars 16are preferably longer than the bars 17 andupermit the convenientmounting of the grass cutting and digging knives thereon in staggeredrelation to one another, as indicated in Fig. 1. These knives, the shapeof which is shown plainly in Fig. 2, are designedto dig into the soil asufficient distance to uproot or tear out the quack grass so that alarge section of land infested with-this grass can be thoroughly clearedin a comparatively short space of time.

I prefer to employ twoforms of knives, the first of which I willdesignate by the anti-friction wheel 26.

reference numeral 18, preferably angular in form, pivoted at its upperend, as at 19,

on a supporting bar and having a straight lower'portion terminating in apointed end that is adapted to dig into the soil and cut or tear thegrass roots. These knives are held in their working position and aremade capable of adjustment by means of links 20 having slots 21 thereinin which bolts 22 mounted on the knives are slidable, means beingprovided for tightening the bolts sufficiently to hold them againstslippage in ordinary work, but permitting the bolts to slide in theslots and allow the knife to rise out of the ground in case it shouldstrike a root, rock, or other obstruction which might break the knife ifit was held rigidly. The adjustment of the bolts back and forth in theslots allows the angle of the knife with respect to the ground line tobe changed, as indicated in Fig. 2, the extreme upper adjustmentallowing the knives to skim along the surface of the ground while theslot is of sufficient length to allow the knife to be held in a verticalposition so that it will dig in a considerable distance. The knives arepreferably mounted on opposite sides of the drag bars so that they willnot track with one another and will therefore cover more ground. Therear knives are preferably mounted in the same manner as those in thefront, but each knife has a foot portion 23 that is flattened on theunderside to restrict the digging tendency of the knives and act as aguide and hold the knives at a uniform depth in the soil.

The manner of mounting the supports for the knives at the forward end ofthe machine allows the bars to be swung vertically to clear the knivesof the grass which may be dug out of. the soil or any refuse which mayhave collected on the knives, and for the purpose of raising the barssuccessively I provide a series of hubs 2 1, one for each bar, mountedon the axle 2 and each provided'with a radiating arm 25 carrying an Thearms are so arranged around the axle that the bars and knives will beraised successively.

Plates 27 are arranged in the path of the anti-friction wheels and aresecured to the straps 12 and 13 by bails 28 and 29. The

revolution of the arms, therefore, will swing.

each anti-friction wheel into contact with its plate 27 and lift the barand the knives carried thereby until the anti-friction wheel clearsitself of contact with theplate 27. The bar and the knives will thendrop by gravity back upon the ground. The manner of mounting the platesmay be varied and more than one arm may be mounted on a hub, ifpreferred.

I prefer to time the upward movement of the bars and locate the kniveson the bars so that when the rear knife of a bar drops back upon theground it will dig into the ground in the rear of the point where theforward knife left the ground when the bar was raised, This will efiecta double digging of theknives or will result in one knife working over aportion of the ground through which the other knife has passed. Thiswill result in a more eflective clearing of the soil and a more completeremoval of the quack grass and weeds. The number of knives may bevaried, as seems desirable, and their shape may he changed to conform tothe character of the soil in which the machine is used. I have found,however, the general lines of the knives shown 1n the drawings as bestsuited for general use. Var1ous means may be'employed for raisingv thebars and knives to an inoperative position, but I have shown a shaft 30supported above the axle 2 by suitable means', such as the straps 31 and'32, and provided with flexible means such as cables '33 which connectsaid shaft with the ends of the plates 27. A crank 34: is mounted on oneend of the shaft and a ratchet wheel 35 is secured to said shaft, havingits teeth in engagement with a dog 36 by means of which the shaft may belocked when the bars are raised to their inoperative position. Uponreaching the work the operator will release the dog and allow the barsto drop Lmtil the knives contact with the ground.

The hubs 9A and the arms carried thereby operate between the straps 12and 13 and p the lifting strain is therefore applied centrally withrespect to the drag bars, result ing in an even distribution of thestrain and lessening the wear of the connections.

I do not wish to be confined in this application to the number ofdragbars employed or the number of knives carried thereby, or the manner ofsupporting the knives, as I am aware that in various ways the details ofconstruction may be modified without departing from my invention.

I claim as my invention l. A machine of'the class described comprising aframe having an axle and carrying wheels, a series of drag barspivotally connected at their forward ends to said frame and extendingbackwardly in the rear of said axle, knives mounted on said bars anddepending therefrom and having cutting edges at their lower ends adaptedto enter the soil, there being several knives on each bar arranged onein front of the other, and the knives of each bar being in staggeredrelation to the corresponding knives of the adjacent bar, and means forintermittently lifting said bars and knives, the lifting of said barsbeing timed to allow the rear knife to engage the soil when a bar isdropped in the rear of the point where the forward knife left the soilupon the lifting of a bar..

bars and depending therefrom and having cutting edges at their lowerends adapted to enter the soil, straps mounted on said bars near saidaxle and hubs secured to said axle and having arms adapted to engagesaid straps and lift said bars successively and intermittently.

A machine for digging quack grass comprising a frame having an axle andcarrying wheels, a rod mounted in said frame transversely thereof infront of said axle and below the level of the same, a series of castingsjournaled on said rod, a series of straps secured at their forward endsto said castings and projecting rearwardly therefrom, said straps beingarranged in pairs, bars secured to the rear ends of each pair of strapsand projecting horizontally and rearwardly therefrom,knives mounted onsaid bars, bails mounted on said straps and means mounted on said axleand engaging said straps for lifting said bars successively.

a. A machine of the class described comprising a frame having an axleand carrying wheels, a series of drag bars pivotally connected to saidframe and extending rearwardly therefrom, knives mounted on said barsand depending therefrom and having cutting edges adapted to enter thesoil, some axle, and means mounted on said axle for lifting said barssuccessively.

5. A machine of the class described comprising a frame having an axleand carry ing wheels, a series of drag bars pivotally connected to saidframe and extending rearwardly, knives pivoted on'said bars anddepending therefrom and having cutting edges adapted to enter the soil,hubs mounted on said axle and having arms radiating therefrom, and meansconnected with said bars and located in the path of said arms to beactuated thereby, substantially as described.

6. A machine of the class described comprising a frame having carryingwheels therefor, a series of drag bars pivotally connected with saidframe and extending rearwardly, knives mounted on each bar, one in frontof another, and depending below said bars and having cutting edgesadapted to enter the soil, and means for lifting and dropping said barssuccessively, the knives being so arranged on said bars and the liftingof the bars being timed to allow the rear knife to engage the soil whena bar is dropped in the rear of the point Where the forward knife leftthe soil upon the lifting of-a bar, for the purposespecified.

.7. A machine of the class described comprising a frame having carryingwheels, a series of pivoted drag bars extending rearwardly with respectto said frame, said bars being parallel substantially with the groundline and adjacent thereto, a series of knives mounted on each bar, onein front of another, andhaving cutting edges adapted to enter the soil,means for raising and releasing said bars, the knives on said bars beingpositioned and the upward movement of said bars being timed to cause therear knife of a barto enter the soil when the bar is dropped in the rearof the point where the forward knife left the soil when the bar wasraised.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day ofNovember, 1910.

MATHIS SCHMITT. Witnesses:

A. W. WRIGHT, MATTIE E. HOLLISTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington. D. G."

